Local Goa News

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

NGOs obstructing key projects need to be exposed: Parrikar

PANAJI: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, on Monday, said that there are several knotty matters pending before the state government, and the vested interests in the form of some NGOs, who are complicating them for their own ulterior motives, needs to be exposed.
“The government is trying its best to provide solution to such problematic issues, and the people in general should back the same, not by fuelling the controversies but through positive support,” Parrikar added.
Parrikar, who was addressing a gathering during the foundation stone laying ceremony for the work of design, construction, supply, erection, testing and commissioning of 2 MLD sewage treatment plant at Patto, further said that the agencies and engineers involved in the particular project should complete all documentation, including permissions of the Goa State Pollution Control Board and environmental clearances, before starting the actual work, so that no NGO or social activist can create legal hurdle before the particular project.
He also observed that in spite of the efforts of the vested interests to obstruct the construction of the third bridge on Mandovi River as well as setting up of a garbage disposal site behind Heera petrol pump, the government was able to clear these obstructions.
He also observed that the vigilance inquiry against the two-and-a-half decade old sewage treatment plant existing at Patto had delayed the commencement of the new 2 MLD sewage treatment plant.
The city MLA Sidharth Kunkalienkar said that the construction of the new sewage treatment plant at Patto was necessary as the EDC (Economic Development Corporation) Patto Plaza has been largely developed during the recent past, and needed treatment of sewage generated in the locality, on a priority basis.
“In fact, the situation had worsened so much that raw sewage generated in EDC Patto Plaza was being released in the Rua de Ourem Creek,” he admitted.
The city legislator also informed that the garbage treatment facilities behind Heera petrol pump and opposite the Life Insurance Corporation building, at Patto are treating 6 tonne of garbage each, generated in the capital city, on a daily basis.
“The facility in front of the LIC building in fact, has an organic waste convertor,” he informed.
Kunkalienkar also mentioned that the Corporation of the City of Panaji has already forwarded a request letter to the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation for lifting the heap of garbage next to the Central Library, and the same would be lifted after the end of the monsoon, and disposed of after its treatment.
The principal chief engineer of the public works department, Uttam Parsekar and some of the city councillors were also present for the event.
The new sewage treatment plant is estimated to cost Rs 10.36 crore and would be commissioned by December 2017.